Project K The Other Side
by beemera
Summary: What started as a normal rough-and-tumble affair quickly turned into the start of a full out turf war with a powerful Strain caught in the middle. Taken in by HOMRA, Kaede begins her journey to take revenge on the man who killed her sister. No one, not even the Red King, will stop her. Rated for swearing & adult themes. I DO NOT OWN K PROJECT. OC. Pre-anime/manga (K SIDE:RED)
1. Ch 1: Implode

**Okay this has been floating in my head for the last few weeks and I couldn't help but write it. Normally I write a whole story and post it periodically but I was so happy with this I decided to post it :) First off, I DON'T OWN 'K.' Secondly, the stuff written below is actually part of K SIDE: RED. You can find really good English translated parts of the novels on trashbunny tumblr. Seriously. Read it. It will BLOW. YOUR. MIND.**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

Whatever hung in the air was oppressive and powerful.

The darkness that shrouded her was always like that, the air always stale and tasting of rubber, iron, medication and a hint of copper – old blood.

Hers.

But this was different. Whatever 'this' was, she wasn't sure but for some reason a flicker of hope shone in her heart.

The induced coma the Good-fucking-Doctor had put her under ensured she could still hear and feel everything they did to her body and her sense of touch didn't fail her now. The air was hot. She could hear the shouts coming from outside of her room that would best be described as a cell, more or less. Her own private, all expenses paid twelve foot by twelve foot slice of hell.

Alone with her thoughts with nothing to focus on but the constant drain on her system and the numbing pain inflicted on her body to test for 'optimum results,' she clung to her sanity by a fragmented memory and that outside feeling that she could only best describe as _red_. She heard the steady beep of the heart rate monitor pick up in excitement as the panicked voices were now just outside of her door.

She didn't recognise any of them.

That was a good thing.

Right?

_Please…_ she mentally screamed as a physical tear slipped down her stone pale face._ Please let someone find me… please, _someone help me!

A deep thud reverberated in the still air of her room and she would have flinched in empathy if she didn't intimately know the scent that greeted her nose as the door swung open – lemon scented bleach, ink, old mint and manic dreams. Despite the obvious pandemonium outside of her world of darkness, the figure's breathing was calm and rational, not even a flicker of unease in his lazy gait to her bedside.

Just another day at the office.

She wanted to rip out her hair. He caressed her cheek and she could practically _hear_ the self-satisfied smirk edging along his pointed face.

She wanted to scream

Then he laughed, a genuinely amused chuckle that one usually reserved for private moments with their loved ones as they shared an inside joke. This was all she was in this place – a joke.

She wanted to kill him.

"This day has certainly become interesting Number Thirty-two," he sighed. He never used her real name; she was just a number, like livestock. The building shook as an explosion rang out above ground, a few dust motes tickling her nose. "It seems a few outsiders have taken a vested interest in my facility. It's a shame you've never seen what a utopia it has become for people like you."

_People like me…_

She heard a distinct _flick_ of a switch being turned off and pressure on her arms as he ripped out the IV drips keeping her body hydrated and fed, the warm trickle of blood pooling beneath her elbows. He left in the tube shoved down her throat to help her breathe. The machines started to scream until the cord was ripped out of the socket. The eerie silence was filled by the click of his tongue, his gaze burning a trail over her still body covered in bandages and a thin hospital gown. "My, my, you're in quite the bad shape aren't you? No matter. The drugs in your system will keep you under just long enough to keep you in one place. Until the place burns, that is."  
Despite not being hooked up to a heart monitor she was sure he could hear her frantic heartbeat. Without a machine pumping her chest full of oxygen she could already feel the beginnings of asphyxiation. The pins and needles in her limbs told her whatever drug they pumped into her system was beginning to shut down too.

And whatever was besieging the clinic-slash-torture facility would torch the place without a second thought of seeing if someone else was hidden in the maze of hallways. She hoped whoever was giving the Doctor trouble was patient.

His warm hand cupped her cheek in a faux-tender manner that left her skin feeling ice cold.

"I'm thankful for these past sixteen months, Number Thirty-two. You are a being of ingenious design, but unfortunately you are not able to control your baser impulses. You are far too dangerous to be kept alive but I am loath to admit I, personally, can't watch over your demise."

Her mind focused on how long she had been kept under heavy lock and key.

Over a year. Had it really been that long?

If she could go back in time she would have avoided this man no matter what. But she was naïve, and the concept of a warm meal and soft bed were too tempting to refuse. He had prayed on her weaknesses and she had paid the ultimate price.

This was no utopia.

This was hell on earth for people like her – _things_ like her.

Her humanity and sanity was holding on by a thread that was quickly fraying.

Dry lips pressed against her own and anger welled up inside of her despite the panic – borderline hysteria – and now throbbing pain. Her first kiss had been stolen by a man whose desire was to turn his medical knowledge into a weapon, to forcibly create and rush something nature decided to leave be. He withdrew and marched straight for the exit, pausing at the entrance.

The cracked open door flooded the room with blaring alarms and terrified shrieks. What was going on out there?

"Oh, and I thought it best to tell you that your dear imouto is no more."

Callous. Cold. Uncaring…

The door shut firmly behind him and she felt the frayed thread of her sanity snap. Tears leaked out of her eyes freely and suddenly she couldn't breathe. Her chest ached and veins filled with fiery grief, the emotional strain now a physical pain that seemed to burn away the fatigue plaguing her still body.

Bloodshot turquoise eyes opened…

And the world exploded.

* * *

Tatara Totsuka winced as one of his red clansmen received a rather nasty punch to the jaw by a member of Sceptre 4. Everywhere he looked, blue and red clashed, elegant sabers sparking off the more rudimentary skateboards and baseball bats the Homura clan wielded.

Beside him stood the second in command, Izumo Kusanagi who was taking in the violent scene with an apathetic gaze, cigarette between his lips. When he and his clansmen had discovered the Nanakamado Scientific Research Centre in the middle of Shizume City, they hadn't been expecting to come across so many Strains.

Humans whose genes had changed to give them certain abilities could become dangerous if they lost control; it was under this guise, this helping hand or 'saving grace' that the medics at the centre snatched Strains off the street and kept them at the Centre. They fed them, gave them a place to sleep and healthy interaction with others just like them. On the surface it was sort of like a homeless shelter, where the kids could discover themselves and learn to control their powers.

Only, when he and three of his other clansmen broke into the facility and hacked their database, they had discovered dark secrets – human experimentation, torture and attempted forceful genetic mutation among others, all below the surface in the basement level.

What made it seem worse was the place was run by a Gold clansman on the Gold King's turf, but regular inspections by the Rabbits had become the norm even the densest of the Strain children had noticed something off.

The place reeked of distrust and lies and somewhere below the surface was a little girl no older than seven that the Homura boys had come to think of as theirs. The presence of the Kingless Sceptre 4 was troublesome too.

Had they really sunk so low as to hire themselves out as mercenaries and body guards?

How far the mighty have fallen…

Heat made the air hiss, drawing Tatara from his thoughts to gaze at the back of the Red King's head. If there was one thing Mikoto Suoh had come to be known as by the residents of the City, it was 'Red Demon.' No one had a positive image of the fire toting Third King.

As always, whenever Mikoto embraced his flames, Tatara's breath was taken away. Violent wisps of red surrounded him in a protective shroud, making the air thick with a sense of malevolence and the promise of retribution. Beneath his half-lidded gaze was anger.

Mikoto strode forward, and like the loyal friend and vassal he was, Tatara followed, Izumo by his side.

The concrete cracked and the fighting crowd seemed to part like water, allowing the three men to make their way towards the shining glass and steel doors of the facility. It had long since been evacuated of people smart enough not to stay behind because when the Red King embraced his flame, things turned to ash. Steel and glass were superheated in an instant, turning molten and falling away to drip on the ground.

Izumo and Tatara remained unaffected, having been branded as a Homura clansman long ago. Surprisingly enough, the Sceptre 4 guards that had taken position inside the facility to guard it fled, their morale low and pride wounded from being Kingless for so long.

"Find an employee," Mikoto said, glancing around the marble and steel interior with a semi-interested gaze.

Izumo nodded, stamping his cigarette out on the smooth stone beneath his boots and disappeared around a corner, whistling a jaunty tune. Tatara gazed around him, taken by the craftsmanship of the plastered above. "If this place wasn't experimenting on people it would be a nice place, don't you think King?"

He smiled at Mikoto who simply grunted in reply. Undeterred, Tatara continued speaking in ill-disguised wonder, pointing out the lilies beside the reception desk and the carved marble pillars – now heat-cracked – by the front door. The place really was beautiful in its modern design. It was a shame about the inhumane practices and melted front entrance, though.

Izumo came back into view, a sobbing man in a white lab coat being dragged behind him. When the medic saw Mikoto he began to tremble. Unfazed, Izumo shoved the man towards the redheaded King. He knew he was in trouble.

"The basement level. There's a child there," Mikoto said simply. The medic nodded slowly. "She's under my protection."

The man blanched, eyes flickering behind the infamous Red King. Mikoto turned to face a wall dissected by two elevator doors, one of which was opening with a tall, thin man stepping out. In his arms, held at scalpel point, was a seven year old girl. Her violet eyes were wide with terror, silver-white hair slicked with sweat.

She looked like she had been through hell.

"Miduchi-sama!" the medic cried. To the man's credit he seemed as horrified of the situation as Tatara did. Izumo frowned in disgust at the now named Miduchi. He spared a glance to Mikoto, whose flames were rapidly heating the air. The medic started to cough on dry air. This wasn't going to end well.

"Hello, Anna-chan," Tatara soothed, smiling at the young girl. Her eyes remained fixed on Mikoto. "Everything's going to be okay. We're going to take you to see your Aunt Hanami, alright?"

Miduchi smiled, a wholly false, bone chilling smile. "Greetings, Red King and his band of rabid dogs. I didn't expect you to come personally."

"I'm full of surprises," Mikoto said nonchalantly, ignoring the jibe. "Release the girl. She's under my protection."

"Ah," Miduchi sighed, "A King under the protection of another King? I suppose it would make sense in a way. The hierarchy is so loose, nowadays. Full of loopholes, you see."

Izumo frowned. "Anna isn't a King."

Miduchi's fake smile widened. "Not yet, no. But she will be."

"What do you mean by that?" Tatara asked, unable to help himself. He was curious by nature.

"Anna is an extraordinary specimen. Her abilities are unbelievably valuable to my research. She had already come into contact with the Slate twice. I estimate one more go and she shall be crowned Blue King."

Mikoto's eyes met Anna's and he saw the hidden pain. When he was made King, it wasn't by his own personal choice. The Dresden Slate, a mystical stone tablet that had been unearthed during the Second World War, bequeathed powers onto seven individuals it deemed worthy and whose spiritual energy resonated with its omnipotence.

Mikoto had no choice, and the magma he kept restrained inside of him was painful. It was power capable of destruction or salvation in exchange for his self-control and personal happiness. It was a double edged sword.

His life wasn't his own anymore if the continued sound of fighting outside was any indication.

He would have been happy to spend the remainder of his teenage years as a normal boy but the Slate had dumped a harsh responsibility onto his shoulders, one that he wasn't sure he was ready for. As it were, his control of his inner fire kept his precious people safe, but that made him tired. Some days he likened himself to a living corpse. He refused to let that forcibly happen to Anna.

She didn't want the power, and he could protect her.

He _would_ protect her.

Mikoto opened his mouth to respond when the entire building seemed to groan. An echoing scream filled with such pain and heartache resonated in the air and for a moment, Miduchi faltered, his smile slipping. Anna took advantage, stepping her petite foot down on his instep, forcing him to release her. Miduchi did so with a curse and Anna ran headlong towards Mikoto. The ground seemed to roll and she stumbled, only to be caught in Tatara's arms.

He smiled down at her. "Are you alright, Anna-chan?"

She gave a small nod and buried herself into his warm chest, clutching his shirt.

"What the fuck is going on?" Izumo yelled as crashes and groaning metal met their ears. The ground rolled again and all were affected, alarmed shouts sounding outside. A soft tug drew Tatara's gaze downwards and his eyes widened in shock to see his necklace floating in front of him as if drawn to something. He glanced towards his King and saw he was in a similar predicament.

"Outside, now!" Anna said, panic lacing her words.

All three men didn't question.

They simply followed orders.

Miduchi had managed to disappear.

They managed to make it outside, ducking as a few baseball bats and iron pipes flew towards the building, attracted to the metal and glass structure like it was magnetised.

The fighting had stopped, a few of the more desperate Homura members trying to tame their wayward weapons to no avail.

Then the air itself seemed to spark, like just before a thunderstorm. The strong scent of ozone permeated the air and the facility seemed to scream as it began to implode on itself, glass shattered across the ground.

The Sceptre 4 members shielded their faces with their coats as the Homura members released a little of their Aura, red mists melting the glass before coming into contact with their skin. Tatara stared, wide eyed, as what had been a five story modern piece of architecture folded in onto itself.

He just hoped there was no one left inside.

His fears, however, were confirmed by a carrying shriek that sounded like a certain Gold clansman's name.

_"MIDUCHI!"_

* * *

The human test subject known as Number Thirty-two made her way calmly towards the exit, rabid energy crackling off her body. After Miduchi dropped the emotional bomb that was news of her younger sister's death she had blacked out. A million thoughts ran through her head but at the same time it was completely empty.

She had only one goal; find Miduchi and kill him.

She had no doubt that the healthy ten year olds demise was his doing. He was manipulative and callous and cruel and she _knew_ her death was his fault.

A far off voice was screaming at her, telling her that this was what the Good Doctor wanted; her on a rampage. It was drowned out by the crackling of electricity around her.

Her rubber prison hadn't been able to last long after she managed to wake up.

The only thing moving her weak body now was pure willpower. She stroked the cold, metal walls, electrifying them and positively charging them like a magnet. She would charge the central support beams with a negative charge to bring the torture facility crumbling down, hopefully with Miduchi inside. He was too smug to leave all his hard work behind.

She had been kept on the lowest level, sub-level 5. Two floors above was home to the criminally insane and unstable Strains that caused mayhem in public and she could feel through the disconnected power sources that each and every door had been unlocked, the thieves and murderers running rampant through the centre.

She sparked her fingers and touched the control box to the service elevator, sending it speeding down towards sub-level 5. The doors pinged and opened, revealing shining metal and glass.

Her gaze met her reflection and she supressed a wince as the doors slid close behind her.

Her hospital gown was streaked with blood that was now dried on her arms from where the IV was ripped out. Her complexion was pasty and bordering on grey, auburn hair lank and stringy.

What truly startled her were her eyes.

They were gaunt and dead like unpolished lapis.

And so much like Hana's that her chest ached.

Tears welled and she weakly punched the mirror, barely making a scratch. Her paper thin skin broke at her knuckles to leave a streak of crimson across the reflection of her face. Vaguely she heard the doors ping open, screams and manic laughter sounding out. She had reached sub-level 3, home to the criminally insane.

She stared at the carnage before her, unfazed and numb to everything.

She pressed the 'door close' button and shut herself away from it, calming elevator music replacing the sound of violence and bloodshed.

Not a moment later the doors slid open again onto the ground floor where she knew just down the hall was the central control room with security access, cameras useless now with the high amount of static in the air.

It wasn't her destination.

She stepped outside of the elevator and turned towards the door tucked into a small alcove, 'Emergency Exit' glaring at her in red print, mocking her. She pushed it open and padded up the stairs half a flight and flung the door open. It was the staff car park.

She allowed herself to grin at the sight of so many cars left behind. It seemed whoever was responsible for the fighting she could hear above sprung their attack on the centre without due notice. She could work with that. As she wound her way through the car park she brushed her hands along the sleek automobiles, charging the metal with a touch.

She was slowly making her way towards the centre crossbeam when she heard it; a car engine.

She whirled around, managing to catch a glimpse of a low-profile grey sedan she hadn't managed to get to, the familiar pointed face of her tormentor behind the wheel. His face was turned towards her, a victorious smirk planted on his features.

And he was heading for the exit.

She clenched her jaw so hard she was only mildly surprised she didn't crack her teeth.

She spun on her heel and ran the last few feet to the support beam, energy crackling around her body as she slammed her hands against the metal, filling it with a negative charge. The results were immediate. She manipulated the electro-magnetic field enough to allow the flying tonnes of metal to avoid her completely as she sprinted after Miduchi, sunlight filtering through the exit like a beacon.

If he disappeared into the light she knew he was lost to her.

She wouldn't allow that to happen.

The building groaned around her and she dodged a few falling chunks of concrete, uncaring of her poor state of dress and bare feet now leaving a bloody trail on the rolling ground. She just needed to get close enough to charge the gates and he'd never make it through. She needed to do this. She wouldn't be able to mourn her sister properly until she was avenged.

Flashes of Hana crossed her eyes so fast she lost focus and wasn't able to avoid a rather large piece of rubble falling from above, coming into contact with her head. The hit jarred her enough for her to almost lose balance and in that split second she had managed to get spun around.

She frantically tried to regain her bearings but when she did the sadist's grey sedan was gone.

He'd managed to disappear into the light.

She followed blindly, eyes unable to adjust too quickly as she sped outside into the bright sunlight. Knowledge of defeat tasted bitter on her tongue. Her heart ached for her sister who she hadn't seen in over a year and for parents that hadn't been around for almost nine.

She was alone, and she felt so, so lost.

Unable to cope with the mental and emotional stress she briefly lost control of the crackling energy inside of her, causing it to leak into the air and spark as if alive. The building behind her imploded violently, entombing everything. She knelt and buried her head in her knees, pulling at her hair in grief, the sound of screaming reaching her ears and somewhere inside of herself she realised it was her.


	2. Ch 2: Memories

_"Ladies and gentleman! Boys and girls! Come one, come all to see the magnificent, mysterious and marvellously magical styling's of The Sister's Two!"_

_The curious crowd smiled warmly at the six year old dressed in a frilly ensemble gazing lovingly up at the top-hat toting teen standing on a wide fountain ledge – a makeshift stage. Most of them were probably humouring the duo, thinking that two girls crowing over the noisy pier were nothing more than attention seekers._

_The elder teen smirked as she nodded towards her younger sister who beamed a toothy grin in reply, a front tooth missing._ _It was a busy summer night on the amusement park pier and she had managed to snag the attention of quite a few tourists with her booming speech._

_The twinkling lights, chiming bells, laughter and smell of candy floss added to the excited atmosphere._ _She cleared her throat with an overly exaggerated air of professionalism, making a few people chuckle._

_"For our first trick of the night I'll need a few of you lovely people to volunteer a bit of loose change! Please hand them to my enigmatic and enthusiastic assistant Hana-chan!"_

_Brown curls bounced through the crowd along with chirps of 'Arigato!' and 'aww' by Hana and the steadily growing crowd respectively._ _A moment later Hana was back at her sister's side, tiny fists full of a smattering of differently valued yen coins._

_The teen turned towards the nearest person, a middle-aged man holding his young son's hand, and smiled at him._

_"Good sir, would you mind helping me?" He nodded. She gestured to the coins Hana was laying on the stone ledge. "Please stack them as high as you can for me."_

_Wordlessly the man did as he was asked, the crowd curious to see where this was going. As the last coin was stacked into a pile almost three inches tall, she criticized it, finger to her chin._

_"Not bad, not bad. What would you say if I told you I can take the same amount of coins and make a stack taller than yours?"_

_The man shrugged. "I'd say it's impossible."_

_"Ah! A non-believer! Hana-chan, Code Red!"_

_The six year old rushed over with an oddly serious look on her face, dress and hair bouncing in regular intervals as she whipped out a lollypop from a small pocket stitched into her dress seam. She shoved it into the man's hand and gave it a comforting pat._

_"There, there mister. It's gonna be 'lright!"_

_The teen smiled down at her imouto who looked more than pleased with herself. She was so proud of the girl._

_"Thank you, Hana-chan. Now everybody, watch… the magic!"_

_She theatrically waved her hands in front of the stack of coins. It did nothing but it looked cool._ _The coin on top of the pile twitched and a few people leaned in to feed their curiosity. It stood on end, spinning slightly. When the second coin joined, its thin ridge balancing the coin on top of it perfectly the crowd began to murmur._ _Like a rising tower of blocks the coins quivered and began to stack, end over end, on top of one another, the teen making sure to keep her hands moving to give off the illusion of magic._

_The last coin snapped into place, the final spinning thread of coins over two feet tall. They remained upright, spinning elegantly like a coiled snake as the crowd awed at the teens' talents._

_With a snap of her fingers the coins collapsed back into a perfect flat pile and the crowd clapped._ _Both sisters bowed, big grins on their faces._

_"Thank you! Thank you! Now for my next tr-"_

_"Hey! You! Stop what you're doing!"_

_Hana's eyes went wide as her older sister snatched her hand. A pair of security guards was shoving their way through the crowd to try and stop the illegal hustlers._

_"I'm sorry but that's all for tonight folks! Remember to spoil your kids and let them eat junk food 'til they puke! Later!"_

_The teen pulled her young sister onto her back, Hana laughing gaily as her sister splashed through the shallow fountain to the other side free of the crowd. She glanced back to see the two guards dispersing the crowd and about to give chase._

_Her sister snapped her fingers and the soft spray from the fountain sparked and shimmered with all the spectral colours, the faint scent of a rainstorm filling the balmy summer air. Hana laughed harder as the guards twitched as their bodies were shocked with static electricity as the mist covered them, making them twitch uncontrollably._

_Her sister ran, leaving behind wet footprints that would soon evaporate._

_"Did you get it all, Hana-chan?" her sister asked._

_In response she wiggled, the distinct sound of coins, money clips, bracelets and watches hidden in her dress seams making a delightful twinkling chime. They had managed to haul in way more than the handful of yen from the coin trick, albeit with a five-finger discount._

_"Haha! Well done, Hana-chan! How about we get some pizza tonight to celebrate an impressive sold out performance?"_

_Hana's reply was a broader grin._

* * *

Anna watched the dream sequence from afar, unnoticed by the owner.

It was a scene that was filled with happiness but she could feel the bone deep sadness and disorientation beneath the surface like the woman didn't know which way was up anymore. She heard the last trickles of laughter fade and the dream began to dissipate, Anna's consciousness falling back towards her own body.

In the darkness of her own room, curled beside her recently reunited Aunt Honami, Anna clutched a small hand to her chest directly over her heart.

When she connected with the Red King in his dream there was an animalistic air about it, the dream-Shizume City having been reduced to nothing but ash and broken buildings by loss of control of his inner rage but she had also somehow felt safe; an ingrained knowledge that despite the fire, Mikoto would protect the ones he cared for with all his strength.

But the woman's…

It made her heart ache like nothing else before.

* * *

Someone was next to her.

She had gone through sixteen months with no ability or strength to open her eyes to confirm so she relied on her instincts and currently they were screaming _too damn close!_

Her next clue that she was indeed correct was the sounds of people talking in hushed whispers and the touch of something icy cold on her forehead.

She physically – automatically – flinched away, memories lost amongst the haze of pain resurfacing. She felt a spark erupt outwards and a pained gasp, the cloth dotting her forehead ending up on the floor with a squelch.

Her body ached and she huddled further down into whatever softness she was cocooned in, trying to get warm. She ignored her chattering teeth.

She tried to focus on the voices, to find out who they were and where she was but the words reached her ears disjointedly, forcing her to have to guess the direction of conversation. She knew it was about her, but was it positive or negative?

"-ou okay, Honam-"

"Fine! She didn't mean t-"

"-'s a Strain, right Tatar-"

"-to wear rubber gloves so you don't get zapped agai-"

Her body gave a violent shuddering jerk, making her moan in pain. She cracked open bleary eyes and four human-esque blobs appeared in her field of vision. The closest was a woman wearing what she thought might have been a soft smile. The film over her eyes was making it hard to tell.

The woman fussed over the blankets weighing her down, tucking them more firmly around her chilled body. "Easy now," the woman soothed, her voice soft and lilting. It made her relax despite herself. "You've got a pretty bad fever but it looks like it's going to break soon. Would you like some water?"

She opened her mouth to reply 'please,' only to find her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

The action got her reply across, however, because not a moment later a soft rim of a glass was touching her lips.

She drank slowly, not wanting to upset her stomach after months of nothing but liquid food. She was hydrated through an IV.

It was something so simple; drinking water, but to her it was such a beautiful moment she felt like crying.

All too soon the water was gone and someone entered the room, a shade of horrid yellow in their hands; rubber gloves.

The woman took them without a word and slipped them on, going back to her ministrations of helping a stranger, dotting her forehead with a fresh, cool cloth.

For a long while the only sound was that of broken, sputtered breaths and chattering teeth.

"My name is Honami Kushina. What's yours?" the woman said suddenly.

Had she been more lucid and not soaking up the woman's gentle caress like a child starved of attention she would have remained quiet and distrusting, even for something as simple as her name. As it were, she could at least understand that a total stranger with no previous personal interaction with herself was going out of her way to make her comfortable and nurse her back to health.

She felt as if she owed Honami at least a single word…

"K-K-Kaede. M-my name is-s-s K-Kaede."

* * *

**Okay, chapter 2. I know it's short but there will be a little bit of a time-skip-thing for the next chapter. Nothing major, just a fastforwarding to recovery and whatever. If you want you can review, tell me what you think so far and which direction you think this might go. I'm open for any good ideas :) Keep in mind that I accept constructive criticism, but downright insults I freaking hate so please, don't be an ass-hat and insult me or the story or my mother or other stupid stuff like that :)**

**PS: ... maybe writing this A/N at 1am wasn't such a good idea :S**


	3. Ch 3: Mourn

**Okay, I apologise for the whole updating thing. Life gets in the way sometimes and I don't really have a set schedule in which to upload new chapters or get some more writing done but I promise to try and update at _least _once a week. If not, my bad. Anyways, does anyone actually read these things? Kudos to you if you do. I'm usually too impatient. I see bold print and just skim to the normal stuffs. LOL. Anywhoodles, enjoy! Review if you can/want. :)**

* * *

Despite the fever having broken five days before, Kaede was still physically weak.

It was strange, she supposed. She had spent the last sixteen months in and out of an induced coma, eyes closed for weeks on end and now that she was free of it all she seemed to do was sleep. It seemed all the energy she had miraculously found after she just woke up had exhausted her to the point of becoming a near vegetable.

Joy.

Besides her name she hadn't revealed any more information, simply biding her time until she was strong enough to go out and search for the murdering Gold clansman. For some reason the older woman, Honami, had taken it upon herself to take care of her, delivering broth, bread and water and simply talking to her.

Kaede never responded.

Honami didn't seem fazed by her selective muteness or when Kaede simply rolled over, her back to her when she grew tired of company. She simply gathered the empty dishes and left, whispering a 'sleep tight' and closed the door. Despite not showing any outward appearance of wanting company, Kaede was secretly grateful for Honami's presence.

Her soft, lilting voice and motherly aura distracted her from her bitter thoughts that circled around her imouto and Miduchi. She knew revenge was a dark path, which was why she told herself she was an _avenger_, not a petty child seeking payback through murder. An even smaller part of her whispered that perhaps Miduchi had lied, that Hana was still alive somewhere, waiting for the older sister who she thought would never come.

Kaede sat upright in the small, single bed, holding back tears.

If there was a slim chance that her sister was still alive then she would grasp it and she would never stop looking. However…

If Miduchi was telling the truth and her beloved imouto truly was gone there would be nowhere short of _space itself_ where he would be able to hide. She'd hunt him down like the mutt he was and put him down… permanently.

She speared her hand through her hair, grimacing at the texture. She wasn't quite sure of the last time she washed herself. She was still in the dirty hospital gown she had escaped from the facility in. If Honami noticed her odour she didn't mention it.

As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, a soft knock came at the door of the small room. The door opened a crack and a gentle face peered in, a warm smile gracing Honami's lips as she saw Kaede awake.

"Oh good, you're awake. Did you enjoy your sleep?"

She pressed the door open with her foot and entered with a small tray of miso soup, rice and a glass of orange juice. It seemed Kaede was being bumped up to something more solid. A small stool next to Kaede's bed provided a makeshift table for the tray, Honami favouring a spot at the foot of the bed where she would talk about anything and everything as Kaede ate.

At first the woman was nothing more than background noise but after a few visits she found herself increasingly curious about the people Honami knew. She was a great narrator. Apparently she was a teacher who was looking after her young niece after her brother and sister-in-law passed away. She spoke fondly of a handful of troublemakers she taught named Izumo, Mikoto and Tatara who, funnily enough, had helped save her from the facility and the Rabbits that were sniffing around after she made it implode.

She'd thank them by disappearing as soon as she was able. She didn't need her life to catch up with the good people that had taken her in, albeit temporarily.

Kaede gingerly picked up the bowl of warm soup and tipped it to her lips, drinking slowly. The first two days, Honami had to spoon feed her. After being self-sufficient for so long before her unwilling confinement, she had been deeply embarrassed at the gesture, taking matters into her own hands as soon as the shaking had calmed enough for her to not splash herself.

She drained the bowl, Honami keeping a watchful eye for any sign that she might puke it up, only nodding to herself when there was no sign of that happening. She smiled warmly at Kaede, brown eyes soft.

"So Kaede-san, would you like me to bring you a book to read? It can be awfully dull and boring being cooped up for so long."

_You're telling me_, Kaede thought bitterly. For sixteen months she mainly had herself for company and sometimes she could be _boring_. She shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she noticed how dry her throat was. Months of disuse and strain from screaming tended to do that.

She reached for the orange juice and took a swig, sighing slightly at the sweetness. Her body needed as many vitamins and minerals it could get. She twirled half-empty glass in her hands, watching a small whirlpool form amongst the pulp.

"A-ano," she whispered hoarsely, catching Honami's attention immediately. "S-sh-shower?"

Honami blinked. "You wish to bathe?" Kaede nodded. "Um… I'm not sure you're strong en-"

"Please." Soft, but brokering no argument. She needed to feel like some semblance of a human being again. Empty turquoise met soft chocolate as Honami nodded slightly, rising from her place at the foot of Kaede's bed.

"I'll get the hot water running. In the meantime you can wear some of my clothes. Is that alright?"

Kaede nodded. "Arigato."

The woman simply smiled and left the room, the sound of groaning pipes and a bath being filled sounding out a few minutes later. Kaede swallowed the rest of her juice and placed the cup back on the tray, leaving the rice. Her stomach wasn't quite big enough for that yet. She peeled the blankets off her body, careful not to look too hard at the horrible blue print on the cotton gown she was dressed in. She was thankful that her body hadn't completely atrophied due to Miduchi waking her up a few times a month for experiments that needed her awake and… responsive.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, bare feet touching the floor. She grimaced slightly at how cold it was.

Slowly, she pushed her body into an upright position, her knees shaking so much they made an audible snapping noise when they met. She grit her teeth at how pathetic she felt. She had been at the mercy of a madman for months and now she was so physically weak that she had to rely on others for simple motor functions. It was almost as if Miduchi had managed to get in one final laugh.

She felt the air around her charge and the light bulb flare, even though the switch was off. Kaede forced herself to breathe, to calm down. It would do to electrocute everyone within a fifty metre radius because she lost control.

A dual pair of pounding feet approached her door and slammed it open, a huffing Honami standing in the doorway with a tall blonde haired teen peeking out from behind her despite their obvious height difference.

"Gomen," Kaede murmured just before her knees gave out. Honami dove towards her, making Kaede panic.

"No! I'm-" Four hands gripped her arms to steady her and pull her to her feet. All clad in the sickly pale yellow of rubber gloves. Kaede released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. Had either of the two touched her skin while she was emotionally unbalanced they would have been in for quite the shock… literally.

"Kaede-san! Are you alright?" Honami asked worriedly before gently scolding, "You shouldn't push yourself!"

"Gomen," she muttered again.

"You must be really strong to be able to move about so soon after the condition we found you in, Kaede-san," the blonde stated, his voice as gentle as Honami's. "My name is Tatara. Nice to meet you!"

"Tatara was kind enough to volunteer to help me escort you to the bathroom, Kaede-san," Honami provided. "He's one of the troublemakers I was telling you about. Always more trouble than he's worth."

"So cold, Honami-sensei!"

Despite herself, Kaede found her lips twitch. It was like she was sandwiched between a calming stream and soft breeze; both equally relaxing but so completely different. She wasn't sure who was which though.

Gradually, Kaede put one foot in front of the other, Tatara and Honami each holding her arms to keep her from falling again. The hallway was nothing special, just a length of narrow corridor with a few doors branching off into other rooms and a stairway at one end leading down somewhere. Steam billowed from below one of the door seams, obviously the bathroom. A sense of giddiness started to grow in Kaede's chest at the thought of the welcoming cascade of warm blissfulness.

Her showers at the facility had always been quick, cold and supervised.

Honami twisted the doorknob, steam melting out into the hallway, the sound of running water louder now. Tatara gently released Kaede from his grip, making sure she didn't topple over.

"I'll be back up with some fresh towels!" he chirped before turning on his heel and disappearing down the hall, a slight skip in his step. For some reason the action made Kaede want to roll her eyes.

Honami had no such reservations. "Such a kind, gentle boy but my word he does some strange things! Come," she said, tugging Kaede into the bathroom and closing the door. "I'll help you strip and then I'll leave you to your privacy, okay?"

Kaede nodded, grateful that the woman recognised her need for space. The room was small with soft cream tile, a sink and a single shower over a full, steaming tub complete with bubbles. The toilet was just next door. With jerky movements, Kaede undid the gown tie at her hips and let the material slide off her shoulders, Honami standing behind her to help her tug it off.

She heard a sharp inhale from behind her and Kaede knew the school teacher had just spotted her scars. She'd never seen them herself but she knew they were there.

"Oh my…" Honami whispered hoarsely, gloved hand ghosting above the cross-hatch pattern of silver skin. "What did they do to you?"

Kaede wrapped her arms around her now naked, thin form, hunching in on herself. She wasn't ashamed of her body because there was no point to be. She was stuck with the scars for the rest of her life. What bothered her was the story behind each mark, each one more painful than the last.

The tubes, scalpels, whips, burns, drugs… Each left a permanent mark on her person and she remembered every single one and she would continue remembering for the rest of her life. Her body was just as scarred as her psyche and that was not necessarily a good thing. Perhaps she truly had gone crazy somehow, trapped beneath the earth because the pain was more numbing than searing.

Shouldn't she be a shuddering, weepy mess? She just hoped Honami wouldn't ask any questions she wasn't ready to answer.

"They did me a favour," Kaede murmured, glancing back at the pale school teacher through lanky hair. She could see Honami didn't understand. "They made me strong."

_I refuse to be weak._

"I… see…" Honami whispered, voice filled with a mixture of emotion.

Honami grasped Kaede's hand and helped her step into the steaming bath water. Kaede hissed a little at the temperature but once her whole body was submerged it started to warm her to the bones. She didn't realise how cold she was before, in body and in soul.

"There's shampoo and a washcloth on the shelf above you. If you need anything at all, just call out, okay?" Honami said.

Kaede merely nodded, reaching for the shampoo. She heard the door click shut and released her pent up breath on a heavy sigh. She felt comfortable around the older woman – she exuded a certain aura that made Kaede wonder if she was a Strain too – but it had been a long time since she had bathed, let alone. She lathered her hair, closing her eyes in bliss as she felt the heaviness and muck disappear.

Kaede sunk below the steaming surface and rinsed, eyes open to see the ceiling warping above her through the water. It was peaceful below the surface. No noise, simply the warm embrace of the water. She closed her eyes.

Hana loved… _had_ loved water. During the summer, Kaede would always take her to the beach to play on the sand, build castles, eat ice-cream and run away from the incoming tide. When Hana was a toddler she wouldn't let any of their foster parents bathe her. It was nee-chan or nothing in her eyes because Kaede wouldn't yell when she splashed bubbly water onto the floor. Kaede had taken up the role of 'elder-sister-mother' as best she could given the circumstances of their childhood.

Kaede had taught her imouto how to swim, even managing to secure a heated pool during the winter, albeit through… questionable means.

The instability of the foster homes had frustrated Kaede, especially when her Strain powers started to cause questions. She tried to keep it a secret for as long as possible but the longer she and Hana spent in one place, the more difficult it was to hide. Too many blown fuses, too much static messing with the television or radio and a collection of exploded light-bulbs. Kaede estimated the latter to be somewhere in the five digits.

So, by the time Hana was six and Kaede was fifteen they were already living in the shelters around Shizume City. Kaede had used her Strain abilities to their fullest, stealing what she couldn't buy and never getting caught and doing her best to teach her imouto about the world. As it turned out, Hana was quite adept at the old 'slide of hand.' No one ever suspected to be robbed blind by an adorable six year old.

And then Hana got sick…

Kaede exhaled through her nose, a stream of bubbles breaking the water's surface. She missed her sister so much. She was her rock, her one saving grace that literally kept her grounded when she was about to lose control.

For a moment, Kaede felt a ghost of a touch on her cheek, despite being underwater. She could almost hear Hana's sweet voice saying 'There, there, nee-chan!'

For the longest time it was just Hana and Kaede, but now that was gone.

She had no one left.

Kaede's lungs began to burn along with her eyes but she didn't care. The pain was nothing compared to the loss of her sister. If she could just stay in the warmth, maybe she could hear her sister's voice again, feel that ghostly touch again. They would be together again, and Kaede could protect her like she failed to do on the physical plane. That sounded nice.

Kaede felt her consciousness start to drift until a pair of hands grasped her body and yanked her up and out of the warmth and into the cool air. Instinctively she sucked in a lungful of the life giving oxygen, snapping her eyes open to peer into the horrified gaze of Honami. She could see Tatara – arms full of fluffy towels – and another boy she didn't know standing in the doorway, politely keeping their gazes turned but there was clear worry etched into their faces.

The door had been kicked open, whoever did so obviously not checking to see if it was unlocked first. How had she not heard the commotion?

"What on earth did you think you were doing, Kaede-san! Were you going to kill yourself?" Honami panicked, shaking her slightly. "That is never the answer!"

Kaede frowned. "I forgot to breathe."

Honami blinked incredulously. "You… you forgot to breathe." Kaede nodded. Honami opened her mouth to say something, then thought better and shut it again. She settled for a bewildered expression instead, not quite believing her. Kaede barely registered the woman's rubber gloved hands. At least they were learning.

A shuffle of movement in the doorway caused both women to turn, a small mop of white hair peering into the room with wide violet eyes. Kaede felt her breath catch. If the hair was brown and the eyes were blue she could have mistaken this young girl for her beloved sister.

Kaede's eyes locked onto the child's own orbs and she suddenly felt like she couldn't pull away. It was as if something was drawing her into the girl, and the girl into her; a thin ribbon as strong as any diamond and Kaede felt like her soul was being read.

She hoped not. It wasn't the purest.

And then she noticed it. The pain and uncertainty lurking behind the child's gaze, a silent plea for safety that she needed and wanted but most of all, Kaede saw understanding. She knew this girl, but at the same time she didn't. The girl blinked and the spell was broken, neither realising the whole scene had unfolded with an audience.

Kaede locked her gaze onto the dissipating bubbles covering most of her body from view. Despite looking away, Kaede could still feel the ribbon, as if now she was somehow connected to the girl.

"Anna-chan, I thought you were practicing your times-tables?" Honami scolded her niece mildly.

The young girl, Anna, simply stepped into the bathroom, bare feet barely making a sound and stopped at the side of the tub, gazing curiously at Kaede who couldn't do anything but stare back. The girl was special, that much she could tell.

"I was forty-six," Anna said quietly.

Kaede paled. No. No, no, no, this beautiful child was _not_ one of Miduchi's 'personal collection.' It was impossible. It _should_ be impossible, but there was no lie in Anna's gaze. She held it unwaveringly.

Kaede licked her lips nervously. "Thirty-two. But you can call me Kaede."

Anna's lips twitched up into a smile so small it was almost non-existent but Kaede saw it.

So did Honami. The teacher glanced between her niece and the older girl with a heartfelt smile. Maybe Anna found a kindred spirit in Kaede. They had both been through so much.

Then Anna did something that startled even Kaede. She reached out and cupped her cheek just like Hana used to.

And she didn't get zapped.

"There, there, nee-chan," she murmured.

Hearing the same words from this young girl no older than seven made something in her chest lurch, the whole situation feeling somewhat surreal but it hit something home; Hana was gone, but she was still here.

Kaede didn't know how she knew but she knew she was right.

Hana was gone.

Gone.

_Gone_.

A minute ripple cut the bath water from a tear that was soon joined by others falling from Kaede's eyes. A strangled, mournful choke escaped her throat and she slumped forward, forehead pressed into young Anna's stomach. Small hands pet her wet hair, Anna staying completely still.  
Neither noticed as Honami left them alone, gently closing the door.

Kaede deserved to mourn in peace.


	4. CH4 Home Truths

**Gah! My bad! Life = hectic, never-ending shit storm with a side of bullshit and flu.**

**Anyways, here's another chappy. Once again, my bad.**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Read and Review if ya wanna :)**

* * *

_"Hana-chan?"_

_No answer._

_"Hana-chan!"_

_Kaede jostled the small bundle hidden beneath the blankets one more time causing the young girl to moan and sit up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes._

_"Nee-chan?" Hana asked groggily. "What's goin' on?"_

_"We have to get out of here, Hana-chan," Kaede said with some regret. She wished she didn't have this... _thing _that made her different. Her heart almost broke when Hana gave her a knowing look._

_She was too aware of the world for her age and as much as Kaede tried to shelter her from it, some part of her was too selfish to let her sister go. She could put it down to simple worrying, as if something bad would happen if she wasn't there, but in the end it was purely for Kaede's own self control. Hana could be placed with a loving family who would love her like their own and she could grow up happy, healthy and come home to regular meals and boring homework. But Kaede was selfish and she needed her saving grace, which was why she was waking her slumbering sister at 3am to escape another foster home._

_Kaede swallowed thickly and gave her sister what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Come on, let's ditch this dump, ne?"_

_Hana let out a soft giggle that dissolved into a coughing fit she tried to keep quiet behind her hand. Kaede rubbed her sister's back and nervously glanced towards the bedroom door. Seconds passed and there was no other sounds, just the slight wheeze now to Hana's breathing. They were in the clear. She rose from Hana's bed and grabbed the handle of the already packed bag stuffed with Hana's clothes and favourite toys._

_"Nee-chan?" Hana asked, her voice a soft rasp._

_"Hm?"  
_

_Hana clutched her fluffy jumper closer to her small body. "What happened?"  
_

_"I..."_

_She didn't want to tell Hana that a few of the kids from the neighbourhood pushed her too far. She didn't want to tell Hana that the couple they were housed with had their suspicions. She didn't want to tell Hana that she overheard the woman calling someone in the government for help on a 'possible abomination.'_

_So she didn't._

_"They couldn't keep up with my awesomeness, Hana-chan."_

_Her sister let out a small giggle and Kaede allowed her to climb onto her back to carry her away into the night._

_Although Kaede had a heavy heart and sunk further into the shadows, her sister would remain in the light, even if it killed Kaede to keep her there._

* * *

Kaede frowned as she followed Honami down the stairs towards the bar area. She didn't know how the woman had managed to convince her to stay for _another_ night - she felt fine, and was ready to leave and stop being a nuisance - but Honami had done that and more.

So now, Kaede was following the woman into the brightly lit bar to share a meal with her and Anna and meet some of the people who had graciously taken her in. Honami had been kind enough to lend her some of her clothes. She supposed she should verbally thank them, even though she believed her lack of presence should be thanks enough. Despite them being the Red Clan and known for causing havoc she doubted they wanted the type of trouble that seemed to follow her around.

She could hear the loud chatter and laughter that emanated from the bar... and she could hear it die down the moment Honami entered with her as her shadow. Honami, either oblivious or uncaring to the sudden shift in atmosphere, gave everyone a wide smile.

"Good morning! I hope everyone is well today?"

Tatara sat up straighter on his bar stool and gave his ex-teacher an equally bright grin. "Hai, Honami-sensei! Oh! Kaede-san! You're well enough to walk on your own now? How wonderful!"

Kaede was about to point out she was fine two days ago and Honami wove magic with her words and guilt-tripped Kaede into staying for a few more days but remained silent, instead nodding to the happy teen. She doubted the older woman had guilt-tripped her intentionally. She was too sweet for that. Once again, Kaede found herself wondering if Honami was secretly a Strain, what with her powers of persuasion.

Honami appeared at her side and gently clasped her arm, guiding her towards a vacant bar stool beside Tatara. Kaede sat a little stiffly, her body still working out a few minor kinks still present in her muscles. Constant movement will get rid of that in due time, Kaede mused as she half listened to Tatara prattle on about a few of his hobbies. It seemed the young man couldn't sit still even if he wanted to. He was always doing something. And right now he was introducing everyone.

Izumo manned the bar and was a self-professed OCD sufferer when it came to said bar; Yata, Saruhiko and Kamamoto were still in school but were Homra members anyway; Anna, who she already knew, was sitting beside Honami at the bar, sipping some strawberry milk; the Red King was AWOL, as he was apparently wont to do.

Kaede greeted each with a nod, ignoring Yata's stammering and Saruhiko's cold shoulder. She watched the interactions with mild fascination. The Homra painted in society and the Homra she was witnessing were two completely different things. Rumours of their violence swept through Shizume City like a disease, but here, in their own territory they seemed like a group of goofy guys from different backgrounds who just so happened to have a single thing in common - Homra.

It made Kaede angry simply looking at it.

She didn't quite know why, but it did. She inhaled shakily, trying to reign in her temper. She could see Tatara rubbing the goosebumps on his arms a few seats away and Honami glancing at her with thinly veiled concern. She offered the woman a wry grin but it turned into more of a grimace. She wasn't used to all this... giddiness yet. It had been little over a week and after being stuck by herself for so long it felt strange being in the company of others, especially in a place that held so many memories for the people who nursed her back to health.

It just solidified the fact that she had nowhere to go and no one to go home to.

And her thoughts went full circle, straight back to Miduchi and her little Hana-chan.

"Ne, everyone, it's getting kinda stuffy in here yeah? How about we all go for a walk and get some fresh air?" Izumo suggested, placing the glass he was polishing onto the shelf behind the bar.

Kaede found herself thankful to the unusually perceptive bar keep. She needed movement and fresh air. The spacious bar suddenly felt too small.

"Ah," Honami smiled, "That sounds like a wonderful idea don't you think, Anna-chan?"  
The silver haired girl simply nodded and slid smoothly from her bar stool, running her hands over the non-existent wrinkles on her red dress and grabbed her aunts hand.

Soon enough the Homra boys including Honami, Anna and Kaede were walking down the street and away from the bar conveniently placed near the center of the city. Kaede attempted to trail behind the group, wanting to make a mad dash when the opportunity came up but Izumo - that damned perceptive bar keep - seemed to know what she was thinking and slowed his pace to walk beside her. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her (borrowed) jeans and wordlessly followed the chattering group exchanging easy banter as Honami laughed along, her hand cradling Anna's.

Izumo lit up a cigarette. "Nice day, hm?"  
She remained silent.

"Things have been quite hectic lately. A day of fun at the park was well overdue. Especially for young Anna-chan. Don't you think, Kaede-san?"

Kaede tensed at the use of her name. That one word was filled with simple understanding. She glanced at the man beside her casually puffing away. "...hai."  
Izumo smirked slightly. When he said nothing more Kaede began to relax, thinking she was saved from any more conversation once the park came into view ahead.

She was wrong.

"Are you going to run?"

Kaede almost stumbled, only a slight hesitation in her steps betraying her shock. Izumo, however, caught it.

He stopped completely, Kaede doing the same. He frowned at her, his cigarette now stomped out on the pavement. "I don't know your life and I won't pretend to know what you've been through... but stop being so selfish."

Kaede looked at him blankly. She was being selfish? How? By leaving them to their happy existence?

"By leaving Anna-chan alone, by thinking only of yourself... that's the most selfish thing you could do right now."

Kaede hissed, her frustration evident and ire rising. "You don't know anything."

Izumo held up his hands in a placating manner, taking a step back from the volatile Strain. He'd seen the power she held and he preferred not to be fried to a crisp, thank you very much. "As I said, I don't know what you've been through but Anna-chan does. She needs someone who understands her."

"She has Honami."

Izumo nodded. "True. But Honami wasn't in that center with her. Anna won't open up to anyone about that place and I doubt you will. Like it or not, you both need each other right now. Stay for her sake, if not your own."

Kaede shook her head. This... niceness was too strange for her. Honami she could trust but... the Red Clan? She might have gone a little crazy in the centre but she wasn't completely insane. She averted her gaze to the retreating backs of the Homra group.

"You have a good family, Izumo-san. I can't ruin that."

Izumo simply stared at her, his gaze dissecting her. After long moments he sighed and ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. "Look, I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to do. I'd imagine you've had enough of that to last a lifetime. But... just know that Anna-chan is a good kid and she needs guidance, understanding. Honami can only give her so much. Maybe, on the way, you could heal too."  
Kaede grit her teeth and stomped off after the group, leaving Izumo to sigh and catch up. He should have let Tatara handle this. The younger teen was more tactful about the emotional stuff.

Static crackled in the air around Kaede but she ignored it. She had to remind herself that Izumo didn't know her, her story. He didn't know _her._ But Kaede knew herself and she knew she was dangerous. Even coming into the city like this was risky but she just needed out. The four walls had seemed to sneak in on her and memories had rushed to the fore.

Her mind had been occupied while her body was recovering but now that was almost done her emotions were catching up to her and she was scared she wouldn't be able to control it.

Bad things happened when she lost control and with the dangerous knowledge that Hana wasn't there anymore... she didn't know what would happen.

The extent of her powers hadn't been fully explored although Miduchi had come pretty close.

With a violent shove she pushed those thoughts away and forcibly calmed herself. It was easier said than done.

She felt a small tug on her hand and glanced down to see Anna blinking up at her. Something inside her calmed instantly. Vaguely she realised that she was so lost in thought her feet had bought her to the park and beside a concrete skate bowl where Yata was currently zooming and whooping in excitement, Kamamoto attempting - and failing - to copy him. Saruhiko sat beneath a tree, staring at nothing with a scowl.

"There, there, nee-chan."Kaede gave Anna's hand a small squeeze in thanks, making the younger girl's eyes shimmer with happiness. Without further ado she was tugged along to a bench to sit beside Honami who was laughing at the skater's antics.

Kaede glanced around, looking for the familiar lanky form of Tatara. Honami noticed and provided an answer.

"Tatara went to get a few snacks. He should be back in a minute." She waved her hand in the vague direction of a food cart where said teen was bouncing lightly as he waiting in the short line.

Kaede nodded and went back to watching the large form of Kamamoto tumbling down a concrete slope. Despite herself, Kaede felt her lips twitch. Yata had no such reservations of laughing heartily at his friend. Kaede heard a soft 'tch' from behind her. Her blue gaze swung around to see Saruhiko glaring at the display. He glanced away, but not before catching her gaze and sneering at her,and glared up through the tree leaves to the sky above.

The park was quiet and filled with green, a few trees dotted about for shade near the skate bowl and playground. A soft wind tugged at her bangs which Honami was kind enough to trim for her a few days ago. For a moment Kaede completely forgot her troubles.

And then the sound of shouting reached them. Kaede glanced back towards the food cart where Tatara was backing away from a group of suit clad men, his demeanor indicating he was trying to placate them somehow. Kaede rose, curious, then began to dart forward as she noted the small tattoo each man sported on the back of their right hands. It was frighteningly familiar.

Hikawa. A gang made of little more than thugs who paraded around in suits and thought themselves big.

As she got closer she heard spatterings of the broken conversation, noting the food cart owner looked decidedly nervous, pale and sweaty. Probably payment time. The largest man at the fore took a menacing step towards Tatara with his fist raised. The teen seemed to stumble backwards, falling to his rump. All the while he still had that infuriatingly calm smile gracing his lips despite the beginnings of perspiration on his brow from his nervousness.

"-utt out of shit that ain't you business kid."

"Tatara-kun!" she said in a huff as she rushed past the thugs, planting her hands on her hips and falling easily back into a fake facade she hadn't used in years. She ignored the eyes currently trained on her and focused solely on the wide eyed teen.

"Uh... yes?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're such a clutz! You ran off before I could tell you what I wanted!" She beamed at the poor boy who seemed too frazzled to respond. She turned to the flustered food cart owner. "Oh! Hello there! Can I please have two helpings of your special dango please, sir?"

The man nodded robotically and busied himself. She turned to the Hikawa. It took a great amount of self control not to growl at them. "I'm so sorry about Tatara-kun here. He's so clumsy!" She sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "Knowing him he probably spilled something on your lovely suit."

The leader simply looked at her with a blank stare. Well, what she assumed was a blank stare. It was hard to tell with the dark glasses. "It's fine," he said stiffly. "Do... do I know you?"

Kaede inwardly panicked, but outwardly she tilted her head cutely, her lips pulling into a thoughtful pout. "I don't know. I don't think so, mister. You don't have a son that goes to Shizume Elementary do you? I have quite a few students, you see."

"No."

"Oh. Well no, I'm afraid not. Maybe I just have one of those face!" She chuckled and ignored the eyes currently boring into her from all angles. Why, oh why, did she feel the need to step in and save this idiot?

"Here's your order ma'am," the cartman said, holding out a plate of dango.

Her eyes brightened with false excitement. "Arigato!" She paid the man heartily - enough to pay for her unwanted dango and a large chunk of his payment (hopefully) - and turned to Tatara who had since stood up and remained quiet, watching the exchange with wide eyes. "Come on, Tatara-kun!"

He let out an indignant squawk as she tugged him back towards the rest of the Homra group who had paused in their ministrations to watch the exchange with curiosity from afar. Izumo was the only one visibly frowning and Kaede mentally winced.

Damned, _damned_ perceptive bar keep.

"Uh... Kaede-san?"

"What?" she snapped, a little more than frustrated with herself and the whole situation. Why did she have to run into _them_ here of all places? Last she knew their territory was down by the docks. Right now they were in the heart of the city - Gold Clan land. The Kings and mobs don't mix.

At all.

"Thank you?" Tatara squeaked. She glanced behind her to see that she was gripping his wrist rather tightly. And she could feel his muscles spasming from the pulse of electricity she was sending through his skin unconsciously. She dropped his arm with a hiss.

"I... I'm-"

"Now, now, it's alright," Tatara said with a smile. He was still rubbing his sore wrist. "I thought I was in right trouble there but then you came. So... thank you, Kaede-san."

"You're an idiot," she growled, making the teen blink. "I can tell you're not physically strong like the rest of Homra but you thought it was a good idea to antagonise the Hikawa?"

"They... were Hikawa?" he asked, genuinely confused.

Kaede's eye twitched as sparks crackled across her skin; a visible sign of her frustration. "Yes. Hikawa. Thugs. Mobsters. Will-shoot-you-as-soon-as-look-at-you assholes. Hikawa."

"Oh."

"Whatever," she grumbled. She wasn't truly frustrated with the clueless boy. She was frustrated with herself. She didn't like the look that crossed the Hikawa man's face when he asked her if he knew her. Her gut was telling her that her acting didn't entirely convince him. Maybe the others, but this one seemed a little sharper than his lackeys.

Just another reason to leave Honami, Anna and the nice Homra clique behind and disappear for a while to begin her search for Doctor Bastard. Unwittingly Izumo's words came to mind and she felt a strange shift in her chest. She wasn't being selfish by leaving, she decided. She was being selfish by staying. She had a job to do; wipe Miduchi off the face of the earth so he doesn't hurt someone else ever again.

Kaede ignored the group that crowded around Tatara, bombarding him with questions, and stared back towards the city, a single golden monument standing out above the rest.

The Usagi Tower, home to the Gold King and just the man she wanted answers from.


End file.
